In efforts to minimize risks of infection and to minimize abuse of injectable drugs, disposal receptacles for used, sharp, medical instruments, so-called "sharps", such as scalpels and hypodermic syringes and needles, have come into widespread use in hospitals, medical clinics, physicians' offices, and other settings where such instruments are used. Similar receptacles are used also to dispose of other biohazards.
Typically, such a receptacle comprises a closed container, into which such instruments are deposited through a slot or another form of portal providing restricted access to the container, and the receptacle has some means to impede a person attempting to insert his or her fingers from reaching any such instruments that have been deposited into the receptacle, to impede any liquid contents from splattering onto anything outside the receptacle, or to effect both purposes.
Some known types of receptacles for disposal of such items are exemplified in Meseke et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,755, Smith U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,592, Simpson U.S. Pat. No. 4,410,086, Pepper U.S. Pat. 4,488,643, Harris et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,688, and Kirskey U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,281.
In view of growing concerns over risks of infection with hepatitis, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, and other infectious diseases, and over abuse of injectable drugs, there has been a need, to which this invention is addressed, for improvements in receptacles for disposal of used, sharp, medical instruments or other biohazards.